Language Intervention in the Early Years Randomised Controlled Trial

Children’s language abilities set the stage for their education, psychosocial development and life chances across the life course. This study compares the efficacy of two preschool language interventions delivered with low dosages in Early Years Settings (EYS): Building Early Sentences Therapy (BEST) and an Adapted Derbyshire Language Scheme (A-DLS). The former is informed by usage-based linguistic theory, and the latter by typical language developmental patterns. We conducted a preregistered cluster randomised controlled trial in 20 EYSs randomised to receive BEST or A-DLS (https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN10974028). Children aged 3;05–4;05, who were monolingual, with comprehension and/or production scores ≤16th centile (New Reynell Developmental Language Scales (NRDLS) and no sensorineural hearing impairment, severe visual impairment or learning disability were eligible. 102 children received the intervention. Speech and Language Therapists delivered interventions with high fidelity in 15-minute group sessions twice weekly for eight weeks. Baseline (T1), outcome (T2), and follow-up (T3) measures were completed blind to intervention arm. Outcomes were NRDLS comprehension and production standard scores (SS), and measures of language structures targeted in the interventions and communicative participation (FOCUS-34).

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